Every young adult in East Lothian studying for Higher Economics will learn about ‘The Multiplier Effect’ of manufacturing jobs.

Unfortunately, after Cockenzie Energy Park was chased away, none of them are likely to experience that effect.

No other sector of the economy generates more indirect jobs than manufacturing, that can be as high as 16 times the direct jobs (read Keith D. Nosbusch and John A. Bernaden of Rockwell Automation).

Apply ‘The Multiplier Effect’ to the 1,000 direct jobs that Scottish Enterprise said could have been created at Cockenzie and you start to appreciate the damage the Costal Regeneration Alliance (CRA) has caused.

It’s not just school leavers from Preston Lodge and Ross High who will now miss out on apprenticeships. Modern manufacturing creates high-quality jobs in logistics, customer service, analysis, management, information technology, HR, Health and Safety... the list goes on.

The CRA may be “celebrating” the end of the energy park but local shops, pubs, hotels, taxi companies and the construction industry have all lost out big time.

The alternative proposal prepared by the CRA is full of holes: at its heart is a gas-fired power station that NOBODY has committed to build. Remove the power station and you are left with a couple of park benches overlooking an empty field.

The new proposal for a cruise ship terminal would help fill the gap in the CRA plan but it won’t generate the same volume of jobs as the energy park. I note, however, the cool response the terminal has received from the CRA and fully expect another emotional campaign against.

Next time, for the sake of our economy, hard facts and jobs must prevail over baseless scaremongering.

Calum Miller Polwarth Terrace Prestonpans Every young adult in East Lothian studying for Higher Economics will learn about ‘The Multiplier Effect’ of manufacturing jobs.

Unfortunately, after Cockenzie Energy Park was chased away, none of them are likely to experience that effect.

No other sector of the economy generates more indirect jobs than manufacturing, that can be as high as 16 times the direct jobs (read Keith D. Nosbusch and John A. Bernaden of Rockwell Automation).

Apply ‘The Multiplier Effect’ to the 1,000 direct jobs that Scottish Enterprise said could have been created at Cockenzie and you start to appreciate the damage the Costal Regeneration Alliance (CRA) has caused.

It’s not just school leavers from Preston Lodge and Ross High who will now miss out on apprenticeships. Modern manufacturing creates high-quality jobs in logistics, customer service, analysis, management, information technology, HR, Health and Safety... the list goes on.

The CRA may be “celebrating” the end of the energy park but local shops, pubs, hotels, taxi companies and the construction industry have all lost out big time.

The alternative proposal prepared by the CRA is full of holes: at its heart is a gas-fired power station that NOBODY has committed to build. Remove the power station and you are left with a couple of park benches overlooking an empty field.

The new proposal for a cruise ship terminal would help fill the gap in the CRA plan but it won’t generate the same volume of jobs as the energy park. I note, however, the cool response the terminal has received from the CRA and fully expect another emotional campaign against.

Next time, for the sake of our economy, hard facts and jobs must prevail over baseless scaremongering.

Calum Miller Polwarth Terrace Prestonpans